1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for weighing eggs which are then loaded in to a high-speed mechanized egg-breaking machine. The invention uses a conveyor to convey eggs individually through a weighing station which includes scales for measuring and recording the weight of each egg. The eggs are then fed into an egg-breaking machine, which breaks the shells of the eggs and which can also be used to separate the egg white or albumen from the egg yolk, or simply to separate the egg liquid from the egg shell. The weight of the egg albumen and egg yolk - either individually or together -as well as the weight of the egg shells broken by the machine, can also be determined to calculate the yield from the eggs fed into the apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Machines for high-speed, large-volume egg breaking are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,815,055; 3,029,849; 3,142,322; 3,185,194; 3,203,458; 3,417,798 and 5,085,139 show examples of such prior art machines. Such machines are used by large-scale egg-processors to rapidly and efficiently process eggs into liquid-egg products. Large-scale egg-processors have, in the past, measured the weight of eggs received from an egg supplier by weighing the eggs in gross - i.e., weighing a package, box or carton containing a large number of eggs and egg trays. After the weighing operation, the eggs are unpacked, the egg trays unstacked, the eggs unloaded from the trays, and the eggs are then conveyed to washing and reject-inspecting stations before being fed into the egg-breaking and separating machine.
The obvious disadvantage of the prior art method and apparatus for weighing eggs before breaking and separating is the accuracy of the weighing results. First, the weight values of the package, box or container, as well as the weight of any egg trays used inside the container, must be subtracted from the weight total measured by the scale. In addition, a certain percentage of the eggs can be damaged or lost after weighing, during the processes of unstacking, unloading, washing and inspecting the eggs. These lost eggs are not accounted for in the weight total. As a result, an egg processor may not receive accurate information regarding the weight of eggs delivered from a supplier, or the yield of the eggs which are processed through the egg-breaking and separating machinery.